Cortana, Cyanogen, Continuum & the App Gap

[nemov888]

I've been keeping a watchful eye on the Lumia 950 rumour mill - alongside Windows 10 for Mobile...and I have to say Microsoft's strategy looks to be pretty tight. The trouble is, they are taking their time bringing it to fruition. The ability to port across the code from iOS or Android to easily create W10 apps sounds amazing, BUT - no news of actual apps being available yet. So I'm at a crossroads. Do I get a Lumia 950... or do I go for a Cyanogen powered Android? Here are the key features - most important for me, why they are important, and how WP or Android can provide:-

Cortana. So useful for handsfree texting/calling/reminder setting. Obviously this is baked into WP10 but will also be baked into the OS of upcoming release 12 of Cyanogen OS.

Camera Shutter Button. Sounds odd, but I really miss having a dedicated camera button (I have a Lumia 735 right now). Lumia 950 has it, so does Lenovo Vibe Shot and Xperia Z5. Only trouble is I don't know if those phones can run Cyanogen OS. They will run Cyanogenmod - but I don't know if that will have Cortana baked in. Wileyfox Storm looks like a great handset for the money (runs Cyanogen OS) but no camera button. Hmmmm.

Continuum. Looks cool, but I am wondering how I would be worse off just buying an Android and just plugging it into a monitor via Micro USB to HDMI cable.

App Gap. I actually really like my Windows Phone Apps, and last time I bought an Android, found myself missing some WP only apps! But... Amazon Prime Music App is one I really want at the moment. Will W10 Appstore get better anytime quick?

SatNav. I use my phone everyday for Satnav capability. Here maps was amazing but I don't know if they are reducing efforts to provide updates, or if there is an issue with my Lumia 735, but it has become very buggy recently. Android has viable alternatives.

Cost. Lumia 950 will cost me about ?500 - bloody expensive for a phone! Lenovo Vibe Shot would only be ?250. Wileyfox Storm is only ?200.

So fellow fans....what would you do? I'm thinking maybe to get the Wileyfox Storm to see me through until Q216 when I could pick up a Lumia 950 once I know the app gap is closed a bit more. What would you do?

 

[vodda]

Hm..arent android apps suppose to run on windows phone 10?

 

[nemov888]

Microsoft has made it easier for developers to reuse code, so that they can easily produce apps for Windows 10... but we wait to see how many do make the apps / how good they are etc

 

[ROBBIE HALL]

First let me say thanks for being balanced and explanatory.
Here to your answers:
Cortana - Will be baked into w10 as you already know so no worries there.
Camera button - Yup. I seem not to like the touch to focus/take pic. I like you, need to have a shutter. Can be a deal breaker for me.
Apps - Here is another deal breaker. Seems so far that the gap is getting smaller....but slowly. I've always wondered why MS doesn't throw it's weight around? As in be lucrative to devs just even for getting apps in the store. Or even with 50mil. plus PC users why is there even a gap? Especially with the universal app feature.Or do what they did with FBook, make the app themselves!
I read somewhere on the forum a bit back that the Amazon prime was coming or was there already but there was an issue with it on w10m. I stand corrected on that.
SatNav - I live in the Caribbean and use maps (Microsoft) I get offline voice navigation. I personally find it is mostly accurate. I'm saying mostly as being in the Caribbean I didn't expect anything at all! So I don't mind a few missing roads (in the countryside) overall I have to say it's above average but works well.
Cost - You seem to be an off contract person. I would suggest sitting still. Give it a few weeks after availability. There's bound to be some special for the holidays or just after.
I'm thinking of a 950xl but I'll be waiting to see how everything pans out.

 

[nemov888]

Thanks Robbie - Yes I read about the Amazon Music app coming to Windows, although it came from a chat transcript with Amazon customer support so I'm not relying too much on that. I am assuming that Amazon must have a universal app in the works... we just have to wait! You are right I don't like getting into contracts - my job pay for my SIM anyway so I'm happy to buy outright if the price is right.

 

[ROBBIE HALL]

Check this out:
http://allaboutwindowsphone.com/features/item/20981_Putting_Windows_10_Maps_naviga.php

 

[realwarder]

Until November we won't know the impact of Astoria (running Android apps) on Windows Mobile 10. Currently Android apps cannot be published to the Windows store. Until they enable they we won't know what the uptake will be. It should help brings apps (even if ultimately sideloaded), but companies still need to do something with their app, even if it's just submitting the APK so how many will?

Only you know what is right for you! Personally I'm sticking with Windows Mobile but I don't care a lot about apps, more about security which I feel is a strength of Windows.

 

[Nemesis-X]

The problem that Windows 10 users and Microsoft face is that because they only have a 3% or less market share, there's no incentive for Android/IOS developers to port their apps to Window 10 Mobile in the first place. You need to give them a reason to do so AND keep them updating the apps after porting them over.

That seems to me to be the biggest hurdle they face.

 

[mariusmuntean]

there is one thing for app gap to get smaller and another more important thing for those apps to continue being supported by the devs which is not the case here. Apps on wp, major apps get updated with only minor bugfixes once a few months and lack many features.

 

[nemov888]

Check this out:
Putting Windows 10 Maps navigation to the test in the real world

Quite strange - this article and the map shots are taken just a couple of miles away from my house!! - small world. Sounds like W10 Maps is just as good and just as bad as Here Maps - which for me means it is bearable and probably better than Google Maps in the whole.

Thanks for the other comments. I think I would enjoy using Cyanogenmod and it would fit my needs well... the bonus would be using Cortana in a very similar experience to WP.... but at the end of the day I think I would still actually miss WP interface and simplicity. Those Lumia 950s look quite appealing too so I think I will see how they feel in the hand. I guess I am fairly confident that apps will move across - Nemesis-X - you are right the 3% market share is not very appealing, but all those Windows desktop users should be quite tempting I would have thought - if they can make an app that works well on mobile as well as desktop!

 

[ejlee072006]

Cortana, Cyanogen, Continuum & the App Gap

Since Windows phone is dead
MSFT should focus on 1 only thing!!
Enterprise!!! I think that's what Windows 10 mobile is for, . Welcome back WM10


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[CHRISDASSEOSM11]

Microsoft should launch a smartphone WITH DUAL-BOOTING OS With WINDOWS 10 MOBILE AND CYANOGEN OS.

 

[nemov888]

Dual boot WP/Cyanogen OS would be amazing....i wonder if we will see it this year though?....if at all!

Well, I bought an LG G3 in the end but it is now for sale....i just found it too big, a bit laggy & am now back on my trusty but slow 735!

 

[nemov888]

Well, it looks to me as though the flow of Universal Windows Program Apps has started to come on tap at last....does this mean we might get decent mobile versions of old favourites and newer apps too? I think it looks much more likely now than it did even one month ago. I've barely used my LG G3, though when I do I like some of the apps and see the distance those new UWP apps need to cover to get up to speed on Android and iOS. But...the w10 experience on my L735 has me eying up the Lumia 950 and the little Xiaomi Mi4c.